Seanad debates

Thursday, 19 June 2003

Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage.

 

The law provides that a licensee need not personally administer or serve the drink. That is a cornerstone of the licensing law. The licensee, through the barman or other staff, is vicariously liable in criminal law if he serves somebody to the point of drunkenness. We should leave this as it stands. It will strengthen the hand of a licensee in relation to his staff to be able to say that he will be criminally liable if they misbehave and that he will take a serious view of it if they do not run an orderly pub in his absence. That will bring a measure of discipline and allow the publican to say to the lounge and bar staff: "This is a serious matter. The law has changed and the premises can be temporarily closed. I expect you, therefore, to be vigilant for drunkenness in the pub and not to serve drink to drunk people."

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